“And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.” Genesis 37:25.

It is unlikely that it was the true myrrh that the Ishmaelites were bearing. Myrrh is a tropical tree and not in keeping with the other goods they were bringing. It was probably another highly prized resin called laudanum. This material comes from the sticky fragrant leaves of the Rockrose. Getting the aromatic resin from the plant was not an easy task. Leather thongs, or strips, were used to whip the bush and then the sticky sap was gleaned from these. It might even have been combed from goat’s beards. This difficulty in obtaining the incense only added to its value. Today, modern methods allow use of this product for flavoring baked goods, gum and candy and for scenting perfumes and soaps. Pink Rockrose will not survive winters below 10° or imperfect drainage.